Om Bhur Bhuvah Suvah. Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi. Dhiyoyona Prachodayah
We contemplate the glory of Light illuminating the three worlds: gross, subtle, and causal. I am that vivifying power, love, radiant illumination, and divine grace of universal intelligence. We pray for the divine light to illumine our minds.
Om: The primeval sound.
Bhur: the physical world
Bhuvah: the mental world.
Suvah: the celestial, spiritual world
[Bhur, Bhuvah and Suvaha are also considered to mean three lokaas or worlds namely Heaven, earth and lower worlds].
Thath: That; God; transcendental Paramatma
Savithur: the Sun, Creator, Preserver
Varenyam: most adorable, enchanting
Bhargo: luster, effulgence
Devasya: resplendent,supreme Lord
Dheemahi: we meditate upon
Dhiyo: the intellect,understanding
Yo: May this light. Nah: our
Prachodayath: enlighten,guide,inspire
The Gayatri may be considered as having three parts: (1) praise, (2) meditation, and (3) prayer. First the Divine is praised, then It is meditated upon in reverence, and finally an appeal is made to the Divine to awaken and strengthen the intellect, the discriminating faculty of man